Hair curler



Feb. 1, 1966 G. N. BOLINGER 3,232,301

HAIR CURLER Filed June 15. 1962 TAT-5 .3.

l2 w u I I9) l 21 2 1 Vllllllllllllllll I6 -qlllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllx- 2O l u NB INV EN TOR GEORGE NOEL BOUNGER ATTORNEY United States Patent O Filed June 13, 1962, Ser. No. 202,211 4 Claims. (Cl. 132-42) This invention relates to hair curlers, and more particularly to what is known as brush rollers provided with bristles which are run through a strand of hair followed by the rotation of the roller to curl the strand of hair thereon.

Several types of brush rollers have been developed and sold commercially. A Such rollers usually provide radially extending bristles throughout the length and circumference thereof, and when a strand of hair is wound on such roller and secured in position, the curler is left in position over night to effect the curling of the hair. Users frequently complain of the discomfort encountered when sleeping with the hair put up on rollers of this type because the bristles tend to penetrate the scalp.

VAn important object of the present invention is to provide abrush roller of the general type described which may be worn comfortably at night by placing it in such position on the head that the relatively soft body portion of the device will lie against the head with no bristles to tend to penetrate the scalp.

A further object is to provide a novel brush roller wherein the projecting bristles extend throughout only a small portion of the body of the device circumferentially thereof, thus rendering .it entirely practicable to form a curl with the roller brush or brushes out of contact with the scalp.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the body of the device is made of semi-soft material with one or a plurality of relatively narrow brushes mounted in longitudinal slots in the body with substantial circumferential space exposed on the body of the device to engage against the head while the device is being worn.

A further object is to provide a novel assembly of elements embodying the desired characteristics referred to which is relatively economical to make and assemble.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention. In this showing FIGURE l is a perspective view of one form of the device;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view on line 3--3 of FIG- URE 2.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the device comprises a body formed of any suitable semi-soft material in the nature of a plastic, for example polyurethane or cellular polyethylene. This body is provided in its circumference with one or more longitudinal slots 11, depending upon the number of brushes to be used. In the present instance two or the slots 11 have been shown 180 apart. It will become apparent however that these slots need not be diametrically opposite each other but may be arranged in close proximity so that a substantially continuously unbroken surface area of the body 10 may be provided. It also will become apparent that more than two slots 11 and their associated brushes may be employed so long as suliicient uncovered areas of the body are provided as further referred to below.

Against the ends of the body are arranged circular plates 12 of slightly smaller diameter than that of the body, as shown in FIGURE 1. Each of these plates is 3,232,301 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 ice provided with a preferably integral tubular extension 13` which may be secured in position through the body 10, for example by an interlocking joint 14 so formed that when the extensions 13 are pushed into the ends of the roller, the interlocking joint may be forced together and the plates 12 will be fixed in their proper positions against the ends of the body 10. The plates 12 and extensions 13 are preferably made of a semi-rigid material such as cellulose acetate, polyethylene, acrylic resin or polypropylene. The left-hand plate 12 in FIGURE 3, or both of such plates, may be provided with projecting lingers 16 for a purpose to be described.

In each of the grooves 11 is arranged a brush indicated as a whole by the numeral 18, and each of these brushes may be of circular cross section as shown in FIGURE 2. Each of these brushes includes an axial wire body 19, preferably in the form of two wires (FIGURE 2) twisted to x into position with respect thereto bristles 20.

The body 19 of the brush 18 has its ends projecting beyond the limits of the bristles to extend through openings 21 in the end plates 12 to be held in position thereby when these plates and their extensions 13 are assembled.

A rubber or similar elastic band 25 is fixed to one of the end plates 12 in any suitable manner. For example, such plate may be provided with a central portion having openings 26 through which the ends of the band 25 are inserted, the ends of the band extending beyond the associated extension 13 before the device is assembled. Such ends of the band may be knotted as at 27 whereupon the looped opposite end of the band (28 in FIGURE l) wiil be pulled longitudinally of the associated extension 13 to locate the knot 27 as shown in FIGURE 3. Any other suitable means may be employed for attaching the band 25.

Oper/ation The device is used in the same manner as the presently available so-called brush rollers. A strand of hai-r will be brushed out by one of the brushes 18 or -33 until the hair near the end -of the strand is engaged with the brush. The roller is then rotated to wind the hair thereon. The device is fully operative with one of the brushes, but it rnay Ibe desirable to use two or three brushes to more firmly hold the hair while it is lbeing wound on the roller.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the elastic band 25, when the winding of the hair has been completed, is pulled around the left-hand plate 12 as viewed in FIGURES l and 2, and the projec- `ions 16 prevent the dislodgment of the band loop 28 from the associated end plate 12. If a substantial amount of hair has been wound on the roller, the thickness of the hair beneath the band 25 may render it practicable to arrange the loop 28 as Ishown in FIGURE l. If less hair has been wound on the roller so that the band 25 is too loose to be arranged Ias in FIGURE 1, the loop 28 may be passed back and forth as desired around any number or the projections 16 to take up the slack. A longer band may be employed in which case the band will be stretched over the hair, crossed between the pins 16 at the left-hand end of the -device in FIGURE 1, and then stretched back to the other plate '12 and over such plate -to be held in position by the associated projections 16.

A single relatively narrow longitudinally extending brush is provided, or two or more brushes may be used so long as there is a substantially unbroken area of the body 10 or 30 uncovered to engage against the head. Thus the brush bristles do not come int-o engagement with the scalp to cause discomfort while the device is being worn Aat night. On the contrary, the scalp is engaged by the semi-soft material of which the bodies 10 Iand 30 are formed. Accordingly the device may be worn throughout the night wholly without discomfort.

form of the device in FIGURES 1 2 and 3, the tubularV extensions 13 are inserted to the point where the plates 12` are spaced apart approximately the length of the wirev body 19- to receive the latter therebetween. The ends of each such brush wire are inserted in the openings 21, and with the interlocking joint parts -14 properly aligned, the plates 12 are forced inwardly towardl each other to lock them together and to place them in engagement with the ends of the body 10. In the form of the device shown in FIGURES 4, and 6, the bars 32 are easily pushedy in position in the slots 31, the semisoft material of the body giving for the easy insertion of the bars 32: After these bars are in position,

cement may be applied to the inner surface of the plates- 35 or against the ends of the body 39, whereupon these plates are pushed intoy position with the projections 36 thereof arranged in the axial opening 37.

It is to beunderstood that the invention shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of the parts may be made as `do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

1. A hair curler comprising an elongated body generallyv in the nature of a roller having a longitudinal groove extending from end to end thereof, a brush mounted in -said groove and having bristles extending above the surrounding portions of the surface of said body, retaining elements carried by and Iarranged against the respective ends of said body and engaging opposite end. portions of said brush to retain it in said groove, an elastic band extending from one of said elements and adapted to be passed around said. fbody to retain in position hai-r wound thereon, and means carried by the other of said retaining elements and engageable with such band to hold it in position.

2. A hair curler comprising an elongated body generally in the nature of a roller having a longitudinal groove extending from end to end thereof, Ia brush mounted in said groove and having bristles extending above the surrounding portions of the surface of said body, retaining elements carried by and engaging against the ends of said body and -ixcd in position with respect thereto, said retaining elernents having outer peripheries terminating radially inwardly of the surface of said body and engaging end portions of said brush to retain it in position, andan elastic looped band secured at one end to one of said retaining elements and adapted to extendl over said body to retain in position hair wrapped thereon, the other retaining element having, projections extending away from said ybody and between which portions of said elastic band are adapted to be engaged to retain said band in position.

3. A hair curler aecortjlingl to claim 2 wherein said body is provi-ded with an axial opening therethrough, said retaining elements having portions extending through such opening and inter-engageable with each other to hold said retaining elements in position.

4. A hair curler according to claim 2 wherein said brush has an axial wire body and bristles projecting radially therefrom, said bristles terminating substantially at the longitudinal limits of said body with the ends of said axial wire projecting therebeyond, said retaining elements having openings receiving the projecting ends` of said wire Ibody to retain said brush in position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,318 12/1940 Nelson 132,*122 X' 2,244,068 6/'1941` Kay 132-123 2,579,204 1'2/1951 Renstrom 132-41 X' 2,819,723 1/195.8 Meyer 132-116 FOREIGN PATENTS 853,642 10/ 1952 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HAIR CURLER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY GENERALLY IN THE NATURE OF A ROLLER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE EXTENDING FROM END TO END THEREOF, A BRUSH MOUNTED IN SAID GROOVE AND HAVING BRISTLES EXTENDING ABOVE THE SURROUNDING PORTIONS OF THE SURFACE OF SAID BODY, RETAINING ELEMENTS CARRIED BY AND ARRANGED AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID BODY AND ENGAGING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID BRUSH TO RETAIN IT IN SAID GROOVE, AN ELASTIC BAND EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS AND ADAPTED TO BE PASSED AROUND SAID BODY TO RETAIN IN POSITION HAIR WOUND THEREON, AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE OTHER OF SAID RETAINING ELEMENTS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SUCH BAND TO HOLD IT IN POSITION. 